The Dark side War
by Adio1
Summary: An extract from the Tales of Shin Xavier.


From: "Adio Sebastian"   
Subject:   
Date: 15 December 2001 14:39  
  
"Tam...you're a fool...". Shin Xavier looked around him. Neither his hard cobalt eyes nor the thick smell of blood in the air that had violated his nostrils need to confirm what the Force was already shouting at him "We are not prepared, open warfare will only lean us to the Sith's advantage!" The bitter truth stung him deeply. He had barely managed to find a clearing in the carnage, deactivating both sides of his Lightsaber he crouched low. Taking the time to assess the situation. Behind him he could see that the majority of his Jedi comrades were dead or too far gone to be saved. He clenched his Lightsaber hilt with irritation and pure sorrow, the sight of so many dead friends too much for his vision to take. The Sith bodies were no conciliation to him despite how many he had slain.   
  
"We've come a long way together Tam, but this...this is a nightmare!" His partner and close friend Tam Sinclair had always been a hot-headed type of person, it was one of the reasons they were partnered together. His wisdom and cool personality would always temper if not counter her urge to *Do the right thing* as she would always say. But, he respected her tenacity in the Force, she would never harbour doubt in her heart and thus, had left him to deliver her personal message of *Justice* to the Sith.   
  
As Shin observed the battle ground before him he wondered if justice could truly win this day. "Your fear will do you no good" he told himself "Get a grip and find her!" With that thought in mind he let his being drift deep into the core of his soul, calming himself with the Force he reached out to find his friend. He could feel the conflict of the individuals ahead of him, some of his companions were fairing well, keeping themselves in check. He could feel calm auras in that direction and took hope from it, content in the knowledge that they were alive. But, more often than not he could feel the utter hate that was the Dark side, it did not unsettle, but rather made him realise the danger he was heading towards. Suddenly, a faint spark alerted him to his target. "There", the Force told him, Tam was still alive, arrogant she may be but she was a skilled warrior. Despite the seriousness of his plight Shin allowed himself a slight twitch in his lips that only *She* would recognise was an attempt at a smile. He wasted no more time, composing himself in a Battle Trance he dashed with uncanny speed to the heart of the conflict, Lightsaber ignited.   
  
Slash, parry, cut, thrust. Shin Xavier didn't bother to turn back. After confirming each strike a success he continued his run to the heart of the battle field. Sith came from all directions few could keep his pace as he ran past the dark blurred shapes, slowing now and then to deflect the crimson lights that entered his vision with his own twin beams of blue. Totally committed to the Force. Screams and curses became distant hums in the back of his ears. The more he asked of himself the more surreal the images in front of him became, closing his eyes, he felt his way around or over obstacles, trusting the Living Force that guided him, he obeyed without question.   
  
The Force demanded an intense rhythm, he knew what he was doing *Find Tam* he told himself, everything else was secondary. His mind was as calm as ever but his body was feeling the burn, *How much longer?* Muscles flexed and tightened, sweat was pouring from his brow and he could taste the slight tang of brine in his mouth *Blood?*.   
  
Now, he really felt the fatigue, despite his focus he new he couldn't keep this level of concentration up. *Just a little more* Yet he knew his body had hit its threshold, cursing himself for being Human and not a Zabrak he eased himself from the grip of the Force. Like returning to sub space from a hyper space jump he felt his mind drift back into the physical plane. The light departed from his mind sharply, *Strange* he thought, *This should be gradual....!!!* and it was, the darkness was simply more intense.   
  
"Hear me, Jedi! I am Arcain Sidal, Dark Lord of the Sith! And you all will feel my POWER!"   
  
Shin couldn't turn in time. The truth hit him...Hard...  
  
*Pain...!!!...* Whatever hit Shin Xavier from behind was fortunately not a Lightsaber. He called for the Force to soothe his ache as he tumbled forward, using the momentum of the attack to roll into a defensive stance. *That black voice* he thought, all the while building his strength. He rose from the crouching stance twirling his Lightsaber around his head like a baton, needing not to see his opponents strikes. Returning to his full height, sweeping his black Jedi robes around as he turned, small veils of dust followed in its wake. "Sith" he uttered, the word came as if he had stated a simple fact.   
  
The brisk wind had caught what snow white locks of hair that had escaped his hood, clinging to his face via beads of sweat. His cobalt gaze enhanced by his matching blades. With his back to the midday sun, the shadows had claimed his dark skin leaving his eyes and Lightsaber the only indication to his enemy.   
  
The remaining winds of the Dark Force storm gently rapped itself around their legs and hips. Its diminishing power had brought him out of his stride allowing his attacker to get s free hit. *But that was all it was going to get* he thought to himself. Neither spoke a word, each busy gathering energy to themselves. Turning, Shin examined his challenger. Looking down from his considerable height was the arrogant snarl of a Sith warrior. Her robes long ago discarded she stood a clear foot below him, head to toe in a figure hugging crimson jump suit.   
  
"Mmmmm...such a pretty boy" her words were filled with a perverted sense of spite. "Repent Dark one, you will find only oblivion at my hands" he raised the hilt of his weapon at his torso. Each side of his Lightsaber covering the top and bottom of his body. The Sith's emerald eyes widened for a second, reflecting her inner confidence, She merely cackled at the sheer stupidity of the Jedi. She had heard such nonsense many, many times before. "Your kind have not the STRENGTH to defeat me!" She spat back at him with an arrogant cry. He had done his part, "I have warned you" he retorted. Now he was prepared to fight. Shin Xavier could feel the hate flowing through her, gathering at her legs *Let her come* came to mind. He braced himself with the Force. In a blink of an eye she had vanished from her position. Earth exploded where she had been, her prensense in the Force faded. Spreading out his conscious, trying desperately to catch up with the Sith woman's remarkable dash, Shin stood firm, motionless, at peace. As the red blade flew towards his head he moved his weight to the right slightly, allowing the thrust to miss him by centimetres.   
  
Shocked by the Jedi's ease at evading her blow, she continued her attack. Rolling her saber in a downward angle towards Shins waist. When that too was deflected she cocked back her saber, using her left hind leg, she brought it round with an almighty kick aimed at Xaviers gut. "To FRELL with you Jedi!!!" Shin, constantly in control, parried the woman's second strike.   
  
Acknowledging her kick he turned into her stride, ducking low beneath her leg he brought his own to bare, he dug his blue saber blade deep into the ground using his staff like weapon as a pivot. "...What?!!!...huh!" The Sith's aggression had given her far to much momentum, hitting only the air where her prey had been she span in a half circle, her back to Shin. "Ha!!!" Shin Xavier hammered the ball of his foot at the woman's balancing right leg between thigh and calf with tremendous might. The sound of bone cracking echoed through the battle field. The Sith dropped to her limp knees with a painful thud, blanketing her body in gray dust. Xavier, following through with the sweep, switching off his Lightsaber, freeing it from the earth he exchanged his weight to his hind right knee. He slammed his deactivated weapon into the stunned Sith's back. "May you find peace with yourself" His words, unbiased.   
  
" Betgel Sal cannot....!!!" Shin ignited the side of the Lightsaber that was between Betgel Sal's shoulder blades. With a Snap-hiss the Sith was propelled into the air with the force of Shin Xavier's pale blue blade comming to life. Betgel let out a choked croak as she hanged there, impaled on her opponents Lightsaber. Steam and brine came from her mouth and the wound between her breasts began to char. Cursing Xavier with her final moments, she died. Deactivating his weapon. The corpse embraced the earth and painted it a deep red. He took only a brief glance at his fallen opponent. "Your hate was your undoing" he whispered. Shin looked around him and considered his current situation. He had travelled far, the party behind him was a distant image. He was closer to Tam, he could feel her as if he had touched her cheek. He was determined to leave this rock with her in tow. He made his way towards the crowd.   
  
Jedi and Sith. Moving so fast that only the trails of their weapons allowed the untrained eye to understand the conflict before them. The sides were even. For every Sith two Jedi would fall only for the tide to turn and for the Dark side to be pushed back in kind. If you were jaded enough, one could say it was almost beautiful, the way the light danced. The more Shin watched the struggle though the more he realised that some of the performers were out of synch. Five Sith were cutting threw the Jedi ranks like he had Sith except, *The other way!* "The ships!" Xavier cursed, *If they get the transports then even if I do save Tam we'll be stuck here!* With that thought, Shin Xavier plotted an intercept course with the saboteurs.   
  
Taking all the Force would give him and then some. Shin confirmed there were five targets: The lead, a male, a female on his wing and three more men behind them. The grip on Xaviers Lightsaber tightened. He reached out to the group, using the Force to enhance his vision "...Kine!..." Shin recognised the man from his briefing before the battle. Kine was a Sith Lord of formidable power in the Dark side. If he was in such a rush then Sidal must have given him a serious mission to complete. Next to him, just as fast, was the girl, Young as he was probably, she had no trouble keeping pace. The three had the same horrid look he had seen all through this battle. *You won't make it* the Force whispered in his ear. Kine and the girl were to far ahead, the angle would be to steep to for him to be combat effective. Excepting the facts as he had always done he did what he knew he could do. Continuing his rush he clouded himself in the Force and made a direct course to the three Sith lagging behind, hoping someone else would see what he had seen and stop those two.   
  
Black cloak around him, Lightsaber humming behind his back, feet a blur. He lowered his body in an attack position, head as close to the ground as possible using his weapon to balance him like wings on a Vor. The three figures were all he could see, every bit of his being was geared to them alone. closer and closer he they came, so wrapped up in their lust for death that they couldn't feel his presence at their side, speeding towards them like a blaster bolt.   
  
"Fools!!! Do you not know that we are Gods!" Tye Goonan spat his words like dogma. "Only now at the end do they understand!" Came Pho Tater on Tye's right side. Phill Gaver was silently absorbing the beautiful agony of his enemies. "Soon you shall have no plac...GAACHK!!!" A look of sheer surprise was etched into Tye Goonan's face as his head flew off from his body, the corpse, crashed to the ground and rolled from the impact like a doll. "who...!!!" Pho Tater didn't have time to speak either. A sudden flash of black and blue, and blood replaced the air his torn lunges begged for. He crumbled.   
  
Phill Gaver was too far behind the other two for Shin to strike. Reaching out with the Force, Shin willed Gaver back and thrusted his strength at the Sith. Gaver, alert by now, was ready. He stopped his run and flipped back landing with ease, battle ready.   
  
"Jedi...". Kine and the girl stopped in their tracks. He glanced behind him and let a twisted grin escape his lips. The Jedi had cut his rank in two. Killing to of his men in their tracks and effectively cutting the last man off from him. *Not bad* he thought. "How dare you..." The young woman enraged shouted, beginning to advance towards Shin.   
"Halt." Kine commanded. "We have enough to destroy the ships, Gaver will simply give us a distraction."   
  
Kine gave his minion an annoyed look for breaking rank and continued his run. The Sith woman, still enraged, more so now for being *Ordered* gave chase to Lord Kine vowing to return this insult to both the Jedi and Kine in full.   
  
Shin looked at Phill Gaver. His face was emotionless but he could feel the pain, hate and destruction that was all far too familiar traits of the Dark side. He wondered if the Sith before him had purposely kept his speed down in order to use his comrades as bait. Discarding that thought he prepared himself. *Sith care not for each other, if he could use the others as shields he would*. Shin Xavier left it at that. *I've done what I can to slow the damage, I only hope someone else will get Kine and his companion*.  
  
Spreading his legs, Shin entered his combat stance and meditated. Gaver walked slowly towards the Jedi his crimson blade dragging on the ground giving insult to the already dead earth, he was in no rush to kill the man. He had kindly shut up Goonan and Tater *How they annoyed him*. The Jedi deserved his thanks. Gaver wanted to make sure that he felt every last second of it. "I'm in your debt Jedi." Phill Gaver spoke, all the while slowly, closing the gap between himself and Shin Xavier. "I guarantee you the fight of your uneventful life." Shin heard but wasn't listening, his silent attack on the two slain Sith before him had cost him some strength. He needed a few seconds to recover and fortunately, to his benefit, unknown to Gaver, the approaching Sith was giving him that chance.   
  
Trampling over the corpses that were his comrades bloody remains, his broad shoulders capped by his Sith hooded cloak, he was roughly the same height of Xavier if not slightly taller, which was tall. He had a warriors build, Phill Gaver's gray eyes had a look of sadistic interest in what he believed would be his latest victim. "I am Phill Gaver, I expect a brief amount of entertainment from one who managed to gather my attention."   
  
Shin, fully opening his eyes was now ready and, from his usual emotionless features was clearly not impressed or interested in exchanging pleasantries with one who followed the Dark side of the Force. He raised an eyebrow, its fine white hairs in total contrast to the ebony lids they were attached to. "Nothing is guaranteed Sith. You will get what there is to be had, nothing more." said Xavier, all the while easing himself into his combat position. He had extinguished half of his weapon and stood in the orthodox Lightsaber stance. Silver Lightsaber hilt with black trim double the length of a regular one held at shoulder height. Blue reflecting blue, His blade gave his eyes enhanced radiance.   
  
"How profound Jedi. Perhaps...". Gaver suddenly closed the gap between him and Shin with a leap that only the Force could provide. Gripping his Lightsaber in both hands, his Long black robes waving in the wind behind him. Landing a mere foot from Shin Xavier. Attacking with a massive arched slash from his right that intended to cut Shin in two from hip to hip leaving only a trail of bloody red light in its wake. "...YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN A POET!!!"   
  
The sudden rush of anger did not completely fool Shin Xavier *He's the silent brooding type* he thought to himself *He will be prone to fits of rage. Take note.*. Indeed, Gaver was no fool with a blade. Bringing his own Lightsaber to bare, he shifted all weight to his front left leg and gently pushed with it, using his other to slide along the parched earth, moving back only inches from his original position all the while cutting downwards. From right to left he angled his cobalt blade to only graze his opponents aggressive strike. Using the contact as a sling he went with the momentum the Sith blade had created and turned full circle with blinding speed, swapping his foot stance from left to right as he did so to return his Lightsaber to the exact area where he first made contact yet, to the opposite side of Phill Gaver's crimson weapon, parrying the attack with greater force, sending the Sith attack aside.   
  
"No no no Jedi!" Gaver spat, recovering from the parry like he had never missed and now arching his Lightsaber up towards Shin's neck with a mind to slit his throat *Don't kill him yet* Gaver rasped to himself *He's too good a toy to break so soon, play longer*   
  
"Humh!" a calm yet stout sigh was all Shin managed to return to his attacker as he ducked under the next slash. Bringing his Lightsaber close to his chest, rolling his upper body under Gaver's arms then bringing up his weapon with his upper body to deflect the next attack that was again aimed at his throat from the other side.   
  
The Force gave Shin helpful hints as he kept his pace with a man who was clearly enjoying himself. As the duo danced, their deadly movements missing the other by centimetres, trails of blue, red and often purple where the two blades embraced with a bright flash. It was clear that they both had strong control of the Force though, from complete opposites of the mystic energy field.   
  
No matter how much rage Phill Gaver poured into each attack formation, there was Shin Xavier, blocking parrying and, from time to time delivering his own well placed attempts.   
Capitalizing on Phill's abrupt annoyance, Shin pressed an advantage in the conflict. Deflecting an attack aimed at his hind right leg wide. The Jedi called on the Force for balance. Cocking his left leg up to his waist. Gaver's crazed strike parried, out of control, his face bare. Shin, with a strong rotation of his hips thrusted his left foot into the Sith's face, smashing bone with full force. Following up the high side kick, Xavier produced another kick with the same left leg directed at Phill's gut. Gaver, dumb-founded coughed up a stream of bitter red grime through his missing teeth. The Sith tumbled back a few feet then caught his barrings in the dusty soil. His bloody face now matching his hair and Lightsaber.   
  
Glaring at the Jedi who had injured him. He found Shin back in his defensive posture, waiting. He gritted hard what little of his jaw he had left. Nova red hair trimmed short, his gray eyes now mere slits, Gaver had lost his temper. *NOW CRUSH HIM!!!* This had gone on long enough, Gaver was furious. Bringing all his dark power to him, the broken ground around him slowly moved as if small gusts of wind had shaken it, Gaver could feel the call of what he believed was the true power of the Force. The Dark side came to him with open arms and fed him well. Empowered, he let rip with a barrage of attacks. "DIEEEEEE!!!" He boomed, the Dark side adding weight to his harsh voice. It was all he could declare before the darkness claimed him fully, sending him berserk.   
  
*!!!* Not expecting such strength from the Dark side, let alone Phill Gaver. Shin Xavier found himself being pushed back by the Sith. Valiantly parrying blows where he could but, none the less he was seriously losing ground. Red-white flashes darted towards the Jedi Knight, screaming for his end. Gaver, eyes once gray now milky white, mouth foaming, was far beyond, deep within the grasp of the Dark side. Animal screeches and howls were the only sounds to come from the Sith warrior. So complete was his connection to the Force that he produced wave after wave of slashes and strikes, just missing the Jedi by a hairs breath but getting closer by the minute. Shin gave up parrying and put all his effort into just keep out of reach. *So...Horrible* was all his mind could deliver to describe the evil shadow that surrounded his opponent. *Yet he has no say, the darkness has consumed him whole*.   
  
Indeed. the Sith was a beast, a vessel of hate, no more a man. Shin calmed himself, composed he went through a series of defensive motions. Totally focused, he found a gap in the Sith barrage and with the aid of the Force, launched himself back from his attacker, letting the Force cushion his decent. "There is little that cannot be done if ones mind is pure and dedicated to the task at hand" Shin whispered to himself. Remembering his training, remembering his late Masters words. He thought hard, absorbing all that the Force told him.   
  
Taking a deep breath, he charged at the Sith, who too was also coming towards Xavier. Both of them, Jedi and Sith, were closing the distance that had seperated them. Like crazed lovers the two figures cloaked in black dashed to the other, a cloud of dust behind each. Their red and blue Lightsabers lighting the paths they had each tread. Phill Gaver, crazed beyond help shouted countless obscene words between bloody lips. Driven by a supreme rage. Shin Xavier, eyes shut tight, calculating every second, his hood, pushed back by the sheer force of the wind against his face to revealed waving locks of white. For those who could see, the Light of the Force had covered him from head to foot. Both sides equal yet completely different. The moment came. The two blurs combined.  
  
Or so it would seem. Working through all the possible outcomes the Force had provided, Shin Xavier's eyes opened, trying to process the instructions the Force had bestowed upon him. His eyes began to focus in the light of the sun's rays, revealing the image of the crazed Dark Sith, Phill Gaver grew larger before him, his speed equal to his own, his Lightsaber raised to meet him, like his was, on a collision course to meet the Sith's. A great clash of wills seemed fated for the two.   
  
Yet, as Shin released himself from his trance he slowed himself steadily, just enough to keep pace. Then he did the unexpected. thumbing the activation button on his Lightsaber, he switched it off. Gaver struck as hard as he could with his crimson blade. What was left of his mind became enraptured by the Jedi act of sacrifice. The Darkness pushed him on, all his might fell into this single strike, *KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE* he cried within. But, something was now terribly wrong,   
  
*...Impossible!*.   
  
Shin Xavier's lack of speed would have indeed allowed his opponent to strike without fail though, had he have been before the Sith. Gaver saw it all. He saw his destruction. It was as clear as the wasteland before him. Slowing only to nudge himself with the Force to his left of the approaching Gaver. Shin Xavier's feet left the ground, his feet that had pounded the soil in his charge toward the Sith were tucked close to his belly. With an angle that took him far to the Sith warrior's right Shin held his deactivated Lightsaber in both black gloved hands, each over the two activation buttons, the long silver hilt pointing towards the Sith's direction. Shin griped his weapon tightly, pressing the twin activation buttons simultaneously while twisting the lower part of his Lightsaber hilt clockwise till the tale tale click of energy cells disconnecting and rearranging could be heard in his ear. He let go of the buttons.   
  
"Snap-Hiss" Shin Xavier's Lightsaber took a deep breath and roared to life. The humming cobalt blade that protruded from the hilts right mouth was longer than two regular blades combined. The long blue white line sang its song as it flew out in front of Gaver neck. Phill's Slash struck the earth with a sound like thunder. If indeed Shin was before him he would have, *Should have won...!* he told himself. Head turning, his eyes began to focus back to Gray. For a moment that seemed an eternity, he could see the black white and blue figure float above the ground as if the wind was carrying it. Sounds faded away then, smells. Emotions, his hate, his anger and pride, his powers all gone. In his mind, he looked towards the Darkness, confused. The only thing he believed in, the thing he believed would never betray him, never leave him. It gave him no answer and went away, out of sight, leaving only the image of the floating figure. Then, that too disappeared and he could see nothing. something was in his mouth, but he couldn't tell what...his heart stopped.   
  
The Lightsaber blade seemed to hang there in mid-air as Phill Gaver's neck ran through it with ease. Shin Xavier landed in a crouch. Deactivating his Lightsaber as he stood he didn't bother to look back and continued in the direction he had landed. From behind he could hear a choked wheeze followed by a bloody gargle that must have come from the lips of the Sith as his head fell from his body. For as he had guessed, the next sound was the all too familiar thud of a dead body.   
  
Walking onward, surrounded by countless bodies both friend and foe Shin Xavier's mind was elsewhere. He had controlled his fear and mastered his anger. The connection to the Force during his last battle had enforced his faith. "Justice can win this day" he spoke aloud, just so his ears could hear what his heart knew all along. Strapping his Lightsaber to his belt under his long dark robes he glanced at the crono under his left black glove: *14 mini cycles*. had passed since he made his way towards his friend.   
  
Stopping in his tracks, he felt for Tam Sinclair. This time she touched him back in her cocky self-assured way. She was close and quite calm. If she was in a battle before, she had won.   
Breaking the link in the Force he took a long, deep breath. Breathing out, he let his doubts go with the cO2 in breath. He imagined her sitting on a rock, tuning her Lightsaber, taking in the battle, preparing to deliver her beliefs to the Sith. He pictured her waiting for him so they could fight side by side like they had for the past five years. This time, She touched him, he could feel her annoyance at being kept waiting, no doubt eager to get back in the thick of the battle but also, a warm feeling she no doubt knew he would be worried about her and the feelings she relayed to him expressed that she was happy he was alive also.   
  
"Tam Sinclair...you mad nerf herder" he smiled fully as he uttered the words to himself. "Hey! Quit your yapping and come here already! You pompous do-gooder!"   
  
Shin snapped out of his thoughts and turned to where the voice had originated. He was looking at a dark haired, brown eyed woman that stood in the distance. Tam Sinclair stood before him, her Lightsaber ignited, a sun orange blade brightening her right cheek. her hair was out off place in areas, it was in a braid before, its chestnut sheen draped over the sides of her face and clothes. covered in sand coloured robes she blended well into the ground around her. Looking down at her comrade she held a stout, proud posture. She looked agitated. "What took you so long huh? We could have used you up here." She blew hair out of her face from the side of her mouth.   
  
"As you can see from where you're standing Sinclair" Shin gestured behind him at the Sith bodies, "I had problems of my own" Tam wrinkled her nose as her deep brown eyes took in the sight behind her comrade. Black robed bodies of Sith, copses cut in two or just lying where they had died, Lightsabers still active in their cold hands. She turned to look at Shin again. "Well, if you're such a hotshot warrior why didn't you get to the front line quicker!" Shin cocked his head back, his blue eyes narrowed and his mouth opened ready to counter her words "Because I was making a direct path for You!..." He stopped himself before he got his boot any deeper in the sarlacc pit that was his mouth. She stared at him for a bit, her mouth starting to say something then stopping before a word came out. his gaze on her didn't waver and she felt pressure on her shoulders and chest. *She didn't need this* "Look here Xavier..." she started but her voice was soon cut out by the large young man below her.   
  
"With all this carnage, all this...hate flying around like a bitter wind! I...I was worried for you!" Shin Looked up at her, He felt out of breath and his right hand had gripped his Lightsaber without his known consent. *Of all the places...for this* he thought, trying to hold back what he felt he had to say. It was futile. "Too many Jedi have fallen already, too many good people. You charged ahead of me not thinking of what would happen to you...Not thinking of ME if something had happened to you. we've always fought the evil side by side, together, thi...I"   
  
The words escaped him, he could only stare at her eyes. In the past his eyes had been calm pools, reflecting a mind that always knew what to do, what to say. Showing the same confidence inside that Tam had outside. This time, his bright blue eyes were full of questions. *What have I said...* questioning his words he broke her gaze and looked away, thinking of something she would buy to excuse his sudden outburst. Then as if she was standing behind him he felt her on his shoulders through the force. It was warm but uncertain, rising and falling as if she was contemplating her actions. Startled, he turned to find the weight he felt on his shoulders was now her hands. He looked down at her, and her up at him. He stood there, staring into those brown eyes that he knew so well and noticed that her mouth was about to move. "We are good together, aren't we Shin?" her voice far more calm and controlled than he had ever heard it. She smiled slightly at him, a deep smile yet her hands on his broad shoulders started to lift. He blinked, resting his own hands above hers, he took them in his and cupped them between their chests. The sudden action made her turn her face from him. He swallowed, felt again through the Force what she tried to hide with her face.   
  
"Yes Tam, together we're unstoppable" She looked up at him trying to second guess him and failed. She never thought she'd care about him in this way. Indeed, they had been through many close scrapes together, all the while bonding as *friends?* she had thought so but, she didn't mind the fact that he was now embracing her. Shin Xavier towered over her. Her demure figure was swallowed by his black robes. She could smell dry blood and sweat but then realised she too wasn't so fresh either. She copied his bold statement and hugged him back, hard *Frell, if she was going to do anything let alone express her love for a man she was going to give it her all.*   
  
Feeling the pressure around his waist Shin Just closed his eyes. He didn't want to ruin the moment with images of death and pain in his view, he just closed himself in a bubble. With the Force, keeping everything out he held Tam Sinclair close, burying his head in her hair expressing his affection through the living Force surrounding them. He let go of his feelings and let them flow towards Tam. Despite it all, he felt good. The Light in them both was bright and strong. With it they would Strike a path through the Sith and beyond. The Force was with them.   
  
The End. 


End file.
